According to the head of the Radio Advertising Bureau, overall political spending for the 2008 general election could total about $3 billion--Jeff Haley figures his medium should get about 10%, or $300 million, of it. That represents a major opportunity as well as a potential headache, considering Federal Communications Commission political ad rules. But the RAB is now offering an overview of how to take advantage of free-spending politicians without stepping on regulatory landmines. "The biggest mistake stations make is not hiring a qualified attorney," says NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. "You need to know what you are …

In an attempt to show that tutoring isn't just for troubled kids, Sylvan Learning is rolling out a new national ad campaign, dubbed "Celebrate Sylvan Success," this week. The effort, from Publicis in Mid-America, is timed to the spring academic season--and moves from a message about the help tutoring companies provide to struggling students to one that emphasizes individual scholastic achievement. In one execution, a teenage girl walks into a faculty lounge where she sees a party going on, complete with a banner congratulating her for high marks in English. "Tutoring in the past has been thought of as …

Cattle producers are boosting the fees they pay to finance the "Beef, It's What's For Dinner" advertising campaign and other programs as inflation and other costs cut into their buying power. At the National Cattlemen's Beef Association annual convention over the weekend, members voted to increase the fee. Although no amount was included, an accompanying directive should kick it up to $2 per head--double the current rate. "It costs more to be a player in the marketplace," says Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of the Nebraska Cattlemen Association. Still, it will be 2010 or later before any increase becomes …

Florida's tourism agency is starting a new ad campaign this week--and going with national TV for the first time. Using its "Sunshine State" nickname, spots are set for NBC, ABC, CNN, BET, Discovery and other channels. "This national network advertising campaign is a big step for Florida's tourism industry," says Bud Nocera, Visit Florida's president. "Focus group research indicates that the sunshine advertising campaign resonates with potential visitors." The campaign evokes visions of Florida's scenery and the state's myriad vacation offerings. It will also include ads online and in print and an interactive Web site, and will cost just …

Advertisers continue to bail from Michael Savage's national radio show "Savage Nation," the result of his remarks about Muslims and other minority groups--not to mention a boycott effort by organizations including Hate Hurts America and Interfaith Coalition. The latest quintet to abandon Savage are ITT Technical Institute, Chattem, Inc. (maker of Gold Bond, Icy Hot and Selsun Blue), Union Bank of California, Intuit (parent of TurboTax and QuickBooks) and Geico Insurance. They all dropped their spots after they were contacted by irate customers via the Web site nosavage.org. Other advertisers that have previously pulled spots include Citrix, U.S. Cellular, Sprint …

Five agencies are contending for Bank of America's media account, including Omnicom Group's OMD (pitching instead of sister shop Prometheus, the incumbent), Publicis Groupe's Starcom, Interpublic's Universal McCann, and digital shop Avenue A/Razorfish, a unit of Microsoft. Avenue A would work with one of the other traditional shops in the pitch should it win the digital business, according to a B of A spokesperson. The shop was added to the mix to see "what they would come back differently with digital. So it's sort of a hybrid approach, if you will," the spokesperson says. The company spends …

Virgin America Inc. is rolling out its first big ad campaign with a heavy focus on out-of-home. The effort, coming out over the next three weeks, is targeting markets where the airline operates -- or will soon -- including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and New York. It will wrap hybrid taxis and bus shelters in San Francisco in tandem with radio promotions offering a shot a winning concert tickets. Print executions will appear in newspapers and lifestyle magazines. The idea is to set it apart by emphasizing its reputation for fun. …